Alaska City Sightseeing Tours

Tucked inside the lush Tongass National Forest, discover an Alaskan botanical garden unlike anywhere else in the world. A 2012 Reader's Digest poll chose Glacier Gardens out of thousands of entries as the Most Interesting Landmark in America! Vibrant hanging gardens spill from 15-foot-tall upside down tree “Flower Towers” and elegantly designed landscapes compliment the natural beauty of the rainforest.  Explore these unique gardens on a guided tour in a covered vehicle, then travel through 50 acres of temperate rainforest.

Show off your adventurous Alaskan vacation to everyone back home.  Just grab your camera – whether stand-alone or cell phone – and PicTours Alaska will shuttle you to cool spots in and around Anchorage. Get photo tips, light up social media with fab selfies, and have a fun, engaging time with the whole family.

Join Alaska Photo Treks as they go hunting for the best light of the day, which during summer at this latitude can last for several glorious hours before sunset. You'll be transported to scenic locations around Southcentral Alaska to shoot a variety of enchanting subjects. The itinerary is flexible and allows for spontaneous stops to photograph wildlife en route.  

The 7- to 9-hour tour out of Anchorage's Lake Hood is led by a photographer-pilot whom has published photos in such magazines as Air and Space, Stearns and National Geographic. Set up for the best shots, every passenger gets a window seat and a two-way headset for pilot narration—you’ll have a stunning ride filled with photo ops of rugged mountains, glacial pools and ice blue glaciers. Then, you’ll land on a remote waterway to take photos on the ground.

This guided walk near Mendenhall Glacier offers a compelling mix of tour, technique, and personal attention, so that you can create great memories and beautiful pictures. You’ll get some expert tips on photography—even if, like many travelers these days, you are taking shots with your phone, not an actual camera. You’ll get advice on how to use your smartphone camera better—namely through certain apps and built-in features that you might not be making the most of.

These tours out of Haines offer an up-close nature experience with insights from knowledgeable local guides. There are two options. The first tour is a wildlife tour that focuses on finding and learning about wildlife. The second one is a photography tour where you take pictures to share back at home, and get the chance to enhance your photography skills—just when you can benefit from it most.

Photograph alpenglow on snow capped mountains, frosty scenes glowing in rich winter light, wildlife wandering snowy paths, city lights reflecting on the water at twilight, and possibly even the northern lights!

A historical “tour,” for many people, can feel slow: a lot of stop-and-go, and strangely tiring for a small amount of distance. This guided walk by a Juneau-based operator, on the other hand, offers a stimulating mix of history lessons, local anecdotes, and a nicely brisk walk—all within the gorgeous scenery of Alaska. And you’ll finish, nicely, with an Alaska beer tasting at the end.

If you're a beer snob—or just like soaking up the personality of a city through its brewpubs—this creative tour company offers a few different tours, each of which provide an interesting look at  life in Alaska, as well as through a taste of the state's legit craft beer industry. Tours include the Anchorage Brews Tour, a 3.5 hour local brewery tour. Or, Hops on the Rail tour which combines breweries between Anchorage and Talkeetna with a ride on The Alaska Railroad.

For Anchorage visitors without rental cars who want to hike Alaska's most frequently climbed mountain, here's your ride to and from the trailhead.  In a nutshell, this service provides a 30-mile (low key) circuit tour of Anchorage and an unguided mountain hike above it for only $23. (Group of 4+ $21.) 

The Hurricane Turn Train operates on Thursday through Sunday between Talkeetna and Hurricane Gulch from mid May to mid September. You can either take a scenic journey round trip, or you can ask to be let off at whichever mile marker you choose. This train is how many people who live in the backcountry gain access to their homes or cabins. It is also popular for fishermen who gain access to some great fishing spots by train. Get back on the train with the wave of a flag.

This train’s primary destination is the town of Whittier, a major cruise ship and afternoon day cruise hub that’s not always easy to reach. After Whittier, the train begins its whistle-stop service; passengers can get on and off at the Spencer Whistle Stop that has been created with the U.S. Forest Service. Passengers who disembark here can take an afternoon hike, stay and camp overnight, or take a rafting trip down the Placer River. After this stop, the train will continue into the Kenai Mountains for a slow scenic ride before returning back the way it came. The train can be used as a mode of transportation, however it can also be a round-trip sightseeing excursion.

The Coastal Classic train services 114 miles of track between Anchorage and the town of Seward, on the Kenai Peninsula—a four-hour trip that’s the most beautiful along the entire Alaska Railroad. You’ll see the beautiful Turnagain Arm as the train departs Anchorage, then a panorama of mountains, glaciers, lakes, and streams. You may even see wildlife like Dall sheep, Beluga whales, moose, bear, eagles, marmots, and more! 

Skagway may be a quaint small town, but it offers a big lens into the Alaska frontier. This tour operator—run by a certified Naturalist for the state of Alaska—offers a friendly and fascinating way to explore some surprising depths of the Alaska wilderness. Options include private tours ranging from 2 to 7 hours that explores the sights of British Columbia and the Yukon

The Denali Star takes you north from Anchorage to places like Talkeetna, Denali National Park, and Fairbanks. This train travels through the forested areas north of Anchorage into the boreal forest, and eventually into the tundra regions further north. On a clear day the train will slow down to allow you to see beautiful vistas of Denali. You may spot wildlife along the way, such as bear, moose, eagles, and caribou.

A lot of companies offer Anchorage city tours, but very few of them visit this many sites, are guided by locals, and use vans instead of motorcoaches. With Salmon Berry Tours, you’ll travel the city in the comfort of a van, with an Alaskan guide who will take you on a historic and scenic spin around the city. Or, try the Glacier Turn trip which includes Portage Glacier, Turnagain Arm, Mt. Alyeska Tramway, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. It's an amazing combination of glaciers, mountains, and wildlife making this one of the classic itineraries out of Anchorage.

Step aboard Anchorage's first trolley. Relax and enjoy the ride while your guide shows you the sites and attractions of Anchorage. You'll see the Alaska Railroad, Lake Hood (the world’s largest and busiest float-plane base), mysterious Earthquake Park, Cook Inlet, Anchorage Museum, shopping areas, and restaurants. Your ride is fully narrated, and the trolley is heated and enclosed.

Ride the rails on a real gold-rush era, narrow-gauge railroad from Skagway into the heart of the Yukon. On the White Pass & Yukon Route Railroad, you’ll have several trip options, taking you past glacial rivers, waterfalls, and gorges for a real taste of wild Alaska. You’ll feel like you’ve gone back in time on this authentic train, as you climb 3,000 feet to scenic vistas and past aptly-named spots named Inspiration Point and Dead Horse Gulch on your way to get a look at the headwaters of the famous Yukon River.

This Southeast Alaska tour operator has its own definition of the Easy Rider: You can take this scenic tour, driving a scooter or motorcycle, with the wind blowing in your hair—but with no stress or hassle. As the only scooter company in Skagway, this tour offers an active way to explore the area—but caters to anyone from thrill-seekers to older families (you need to be 18+ with a valid driver’s license) and little old ladies.

More than 100 well-maintained bikes of all types. Conveniently located in Downtown Anchorage five blocks from the Tony Knowles Coastal Trail.  On their website you’ll find photos and specs of each bike and a separate page for each of Anchorage's four green belt bike paths.

Want to liven up your sightseeing experience in Anchorage? Explore the ins and outs of downtown on a motorized two-wheeled Segway. Gliding effortlessly down the sidewalk with a small group and informative tour guides is a popular way to experience the best of Anchorage in a short amount of time.

Take a spin through Juneau on a fun bike tour. It’s a great way to explore Alaska’s capital city, with lots of scenery and history along the way. Choose from one of several options. There’s a bike and brew tour, which includes seeing the Mendenhall Glacier as well as a tasting of Alaskan beers. Or ride your bike out to Douglas Island for a tram ride, 1,800 feet up Mt. Roberts for some spectacular views. Or custom design your own great bike trip through Juneau.

Some people love the view of Alaska from the side of a ship, or from above in a bush plane. But this cycle shop and tour operator based in Haines and Skagway proves that there's nothing quite like the view of Alaska from atop two wheels, as you glide through the gorgeously unique scenery. Its day trips are a fabulous way for independent travelers and cruise passengers to take a detour on their voyage, enjoying a different pace and perspective on the Alaska frontier. The day trips, with a 6-to-1 ratio of travelers to guides, last from just under three hours to a full day. 

Step into the underworld of Anchorage—a hidden gathering of ghosts and spirits—on this walking tour through some of the city’s most haunted sites. It’s the most unsual perspective you can get of Alaska’s largest metropolis.